# The Chord Wheel vs Sonofield Ear Trainer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sonofield Ear Trainer at 89% against The Chord Wheel's 30%. Sonofield Ear Trainer also leads on price (Free vs $6.99) and rating (4.9 vs 4.0). The Chord Wheel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sonofield Ear Trainer is free to download; The Chord Wheel costs $6.99 up front. Sonofield Ear Trainer sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. The Chord Wheel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sonofield Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonofield Ear Trainer has 392 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of The Chord Wheel's written reviews are positive against 89% of Sonofield Ear Trainer's.

The Chord Wheel ships an update every 55 months, Sonofield Ear Trainer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Chord Wheel | Sonofield Ear Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chord-wheel/id444931977/reviews) | **[4.9 (392 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonofield-ear-trainer/id6740409139/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **392** |
| Positive reviews | 30.2% of reviews | **88.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 55 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 87 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chord Wheel](https://appshunter.io/developer/419959184) | [Sonofield Ear Trainer Education Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789801335) |

## What reviewers say

### The Chord Wheel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chord-wheel/id444931977)

This app provides a revolutionary tool for musicians to understand chord theory, improvise, transpose keys, and compose music. It helps users grasp how chords work together and allows them to hear chord progressions played back.

**Highlights:** Understand chord theory, Improvise and solo, Transpose keys instantly, Compose music without reading notes, Hear chords played back, Select instrument and chord voicings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and quick
- 👍 Great for beginners
- 👍 Helpful for writing progressions
- 👍 Piano sounds are good
- 👍 Clear interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Old app, not updated
- 👎 Expensive for value
- 👎 Guitar chords out of tune
- 👎 Screen too small on iPad
- 👎 Stuck in portrait mode

**Reported bugs**

- Guitar chords out of tune
- Diminished 7ths wrong on guitar
- C chord strummed too slow
- Chord numberings not visible on iPad
- Screen not full screen on iPad

**Requested features**

- Toggle chords to 7th, 6th, sus4, etc.
- Add note on keyboard
- Adjust screen orientation
- Change instruments
- Enlarge screen on iPad


### Sonofield Ear Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonofield-ear-trainer/id6740409139)

This app helps musicians develop their ear by focusing on the feeling of individual notes within a key, rather than traditional interval training. It uses sustained drones and offers various modes like identifying scale degrees, melodies, and singing exercises. The app adapts to your skill level with an intuitive interface and progression path.

**Highlights:** Feeling-based note recognition, Scale degree identification, Melody recognition training, Singing exercises, Hands-free training mode, Interactive exploration instrument

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Pro | $14.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $17.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent ear training tool
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly design
- 🎶 Effective for improving relative pitch
- 💡 Innovative use of drone and scale degrees
- 🎯 Helpful for aural skills development

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Challenging for true beginners
- 💭 Desire for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- None reported

**Requested features**

- Option to switch between 12TET and just intonation
- Ability to reduce octave range
- Incorporate more timbre options for drone and notes
- Tracking and visualization of progress and learned skills
- Add interactive tutorial for level 1


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Chord Wheel free?

The Chord Wheel costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sonofield Ear Trainer free?

Sonofield Ear Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Chord Wheel or Sonofield Ear Trainer?

Sonofield Ear Trainer is rated higher. The Chord Wheel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Sonofield Ear Trainer averages 4.9 from 392 ratings.

### Do The Chord Wheel or Sonofield Ear Trainer have ads?

Neither The Chord Wheel nor Sonofield Ear Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Chord Wheel or Sonofield Ear Trainer?

The Chord Wheel ships an update every 55 months, and Sonofield Ear Trainer every 9 days. Most recently, The Chord Wheel was updated on November 6, 2026 and Sonofield Ear Trainer on November 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*